Proper Medieval Knife Grind?

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

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Aug 13, 2002
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I am working on, well let's call it a medievalesque knife. What would be the correct grind for something around 13-14-15century/table/everyday/utility knife? See why I called it medievalesque. ;)

I guess a flat grind but does I take it all the way to the spine?

Pad
 
A google search wasn't particularly conclusive but some English examples showed flat grinds with a rather substantial secondary grind compared to what we're used to now. The primary grind went all the way to the spine, and I get the impression from the various examples that this was simply because it's easiest to forge them that way and then grind that last bit to finish a piece. Most of the designs had that look forged pieces get when the craftsman wants to do as much of the work as possible at the forge rather than grinding.
 
An historicly accurate grind would be about a 2 meter hollow grind.
On a practical level, a flat grind with a high secondary will look fine.
 
all of the knives in the book Knives and Scabbards(Museum of London, Cowgill, de Neergaard and Griffiths: The Boydell Press, Woodbridge, Suffolk 1987 ISBN 0 85115 805 6
except example 25 on page 81 have either a flat grind or long radius hollow that appears flat running from edge to spine. there is no evidence of an edge bevel in any of the examples but they are all corroded from the Thames river mud so it may just be that the differentiation didn't survive the years.

-Page
 
As has been said, flat or very large-radius hollow grind with forging and a good bit of hand-finishing in evidence. Knives and daggers from before the 16th century usually seem to have non-distinct or even non-existant plunge cuts and/or ricassos, the primary bevels often appear to blend at the ricasso, or run right into the tang.
 
When I get large diameter radius platens I'll get a 6' too. But for now (I am poe :(), a flat grind will do.

Thanks for your help guys.
 
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